The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: amyh on January 09, 2010, 06:25:41 pm

Title: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: amyh on January 09, 2010, 06:25:41 pm: Hi everyone,

I am a small holder in the Scottish Borders. We are snowed in and looking at my strong, and bored horse, I wondered if anyone here has used their horses to snowplough? I'd also like to know of anyone using their horse or pony to work on their land, carting, harrowing, etc. Any tips on where to get equipment?
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: shetlandpaul on January 09, 2010, 06:37:31 pm: were just on the verge of training one of our shetlands as a plow pony. we just have to find the right plough.
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: scattybiker1972 on January 09, 2010, 08:16:51 pm: here may be a good place to start,they may have the right info.
good luck

http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horses.htm
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: sandy on January 09, 2010, 09:33:29 pm: Hello and welcome from Clackmannanshire!! great to see working horses, my Ex's dad had a working horse when I first met him...wow 40 odd years ago..how time fly's
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: Roxy on January 09, 2010, 11:55:35 pm: We have Dales and Fell ponies, which are very stong and stocky ponies. Quite a few are broken to harness, as we do pleasure driving. I get one of them to pull some small chain harrows - the sort that go behind a quad. Never tried ploughing, but I know someone who used to do ploughing matches with his pair of Dales, and assumably ploughed at home with them.

I have a very large horse drawn sledge, and with all the snow, and thinking of getting the ponies to pull the hay and haylage out to the fields on it.

My uncles used to have horses on the farm, and even in he 1970's would use them to take manure out to spread on the fields, and do all the haymaking with them - poor horses would have a long working day in the summer.
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: Rosemary on January 10, 2010, 12:19:37 pm: Can't help you YET but I'm hoping to have Smokey pulling his weight (literally) once we move to Carnoustie.

I spend hours yesterday evening "googling" Carnoustie - I even read he Community Council meeting minutes!
Title: Re: working horses in Scotland?
Post by: amyh on January 10, 2010, 06:04:31 pm: Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies. Good tip re dragon...lovely carts for sale! I love the idea of the big horse drawn sled for hay! I found what looks like a great little system in carthorse machinery which is just what i am looking for but it is rather expensive. I am going to go and meet some folk who are driving horses and get to know my way around the harness and take it from there...please keep me in touch with how it goes with Smokey and the shetland.